ZAGREB, November 6, 2019 – The Interior Ministry said on Tuesday that under the law protecting and controlling the state border and preventing illegal migration were the primary task of the police and that for now there were no security or humanitarian reasons which would prompt the ministry to engage the army for that.
“Monitoring migration trends and analysing the risks connected to unlawful migration, the ministry has organised and equipped one of the largest and best equipped border police forces in Europe. The Croatian border police number 6,500 officers, specially trained to control and protect the state border and handle vulnerable groups and international protection seekers,” a press release said.
The Croatian police also include riot and special forces who, depending on the terrain, participate in executing those tasks in the most inaccessible terrain, and €270 million has been invested in their equipment, the press release said.
Presidential candidate Miroslav Škoro said the first job of the police was to protect Croatian territory and citizens but that it would be good, before it was too late, to involve other services as well, primarily the army, both inland and on the border.
The ministry said that under the law the army could provide support in the protection of the state frontier in exceptional situations by following police instructions.
More news about migrant crisis can be found in the Politics section.
